Interviews

Expanding an unprecedented level of style and comfort

At the end of May, Eurostar introduced its new e320 train on the London-Brussels route. Rob Haycocks talks to RTM about what passengers can expect from the new units and how they differ from the company’s original fleet.

Our state-of-the-art new e320 trains revolutionise short-haul travel in Europe. Designed by the world-famous Italian design house, Pininfarina, renowned for its iconic car designs, the Siemens-built e320 boasts 20% more capacity than the original Eurostar trains. 

With a bold new design, chic interiors as well as wi-fi connectivity and over 300 hours of on-board entertainment streamed to customers’ personal devices, the new trains provide an unprecedented level of style and comfort. 

Since the first e320 was introduced on the Paris route in November 2015, they have performed successfully, proving very popular with business and leisure customers alike, who appreciate the enhanced features and technology. 

Now that they are on the Brussels route, we’re happy to give more of our customers the opportunity to experience them. The e320 trains are interoperable, which means they can operate across the European high-speed network, including crucially to Rotterdam and Amsterdam, so they are a key part of our plan to operate that route. 

The arrival of the new trains on the Brussels service is part of a £1bn programme of investment in Eurostar’s fleet, stations and service which included the purchase of 17 new e320 trains and the refurbishment of its original trains. 

With regards to the existing fleet, Eurostar has three of its completely refurbished e300s in service. They are fitted out with a new livery, and the same Pininfarina-designed interior as the e320s. The fourth e300 will be in service over the coming weeks, and they are coming through around every six months. 

At the moment, Eurostar is going through a major investment programme to transform the customer experience. Passengers on the new fleet benefit from more space, wi-fi and access to on-board entertainment. Beyond that, we are also investing heavily in our stations, with a new Business Lounge in Paris, and we recently unveiled improvements to the check-in area at Brussels. 

The introduction of the e320 on the London-Brussels service also follows an extensive renovation of the Eurostar terminal in Brussels Midi. This has created an expanded departure area and a more efficient check-in space, which will be further enhanced by the introduction of facial recognition e-passport gate technology for the peak summer holiday period. 

Eurostar is also in the final stages of preparation for the launch of its new direct service to Rotterdam and Amsterdam, and it plans on introducing an inaugural service by the end of the year. The focus will then be on gearing up to the peak Easter getaway period.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

W: www.eurostar.com